SLC 24 Howard Jones

[Dave Lindemann]

Howard - You're mod looks great - I really like the idea of using a section of pipe, that makes for a very uniform fill-in. I'm curious, will the pulley extend into the passenger compartment?

Regards,
Dave L

 

[Howard Jones]

No it won't, I had about a 1/8" clearance to the big horzontal chassis member before I cut it out. The idea is to be able to remove the pulley bolts and then the pulley. After that the water pump can be removed if necessary. Before it would have required pulling the motor to change the water pump. For that matter I could not have been able to change a belt if I had to with the engine in the car.

The bottom line is, a electric water pump mounted remotely should be considered in these cars if you deside to not run a LSX series motor. A SBF would have the same pulley issues as well as most of the other old school V8's with the waterpump on the front of the motor and using a belt to run it.

 

[Dave Lindemann]

Makes very good sense. I'm thinking I may go with the remote electric water pump even with the LS3 engine.

 

[Howard Jones]

I am beginning to make some progress here. The center plate is all riveted in place. This is slow work and I can only pull so many rivets before my hand gives up for the day.

Do you see the little error? I wanted to add a 1/4 inch to each side of the hole for the cables. I got the whole 1/2 inch on one side. Damn. Virgos hate that kind of stuff!

 

[Alex]

Do you have any concerns about running cables through the gas tank? I realize they arn't slapping around, but that was one of my chief worries. I mean, it is a gas tank, I can't stand anything rubbing/touching/etc.. it it :blank:

 

[Howard Jones]

At this point I am only running the shifter cables through the fueltank. The shifter cables are pretty ridged and I don't think that they will abrade the aluminum fueltank material. Their covering is much softer that the alum and if there starts to be a problem then I'll deal with it when it shows up on the cable covering material. It should show up there first.

I want the pretty much finish all of the mechanicals before I do the electrical systems. Running wires is the easy part. I am thinking of running the main wire harness down the sidepod when I get to the electrical systems.

 

[Doc Kaler]

Howard,

Just a thought....You may try to get some neoprene insulation tubing and slip over the cables. Quiet them down somewhat and that would show wear even sooner than the cable shielding (much less expensive to replace). But I agree there should be no hazard sending them through the channel.

 

[Howard Jones]

So the waterpump pulley clearance fix is complete. Here's some pictures. I will make a small inspection cover to seal the hole of the pulley from the inside. This way I can simply remove the small cover and then remove the pulley bolts.

 

[Jack]

Nicely done Howard!

 

[Doc Kaler]

+1 Howard! You probably have forearms like Popeye after pulling all those rivets.

 

[Howard Jones]

I got my rear suspension upgrade kit from Fran a while back and now that everything is all apart it's a good time to install it.

I made this drill jig so I could drill the additional holes. Worked good. Came out pretty much dead on.

Next I need to take apart the rocker arms and reuse the bearings in the new rockers...........right? Anybody else done this yet? do I need a press?

 

[John]

What is in the "rear suspension upgrade kit"?

 

[Doc Kaler]

John,

That's the billet damper bracket at the rear frame upright. New billet rockers as well.

 

[Craig Gillingham]

the "upgrade" is the parts that help to make the suspension geometry fundamentally correct as the position where is was originally designed is over 90deg and designed incorrectly.
All the early SLCs were wrong.
When adding the rear suspension strenghtening brackets (to help avoid cracking) make sure that you bolt inside out with the (nut on the outer side) as its an easy push back, if you need to take the upper wish bone out to make rose joint adjustments.

 

[Howard Jones]

Craig, can you post some pictures of your "rear suspension strenghtening brackets". I'm not sure if what I already have on my chassis is what you are taking about. Thanks.

 

[Mesa]

damn howard -
couldnt you have made that guide a few months ago? the billet bell cranks i got came with bearings BTW.

 

[Dave Lindemann]

I got my rear suspension upgrade kit from Fran a while back and now that everything is all apart it's a good time to install it.

I made this drill jig so I could drill the additional holes. Worked good. Came out pretty much dead on.

Next I need to take apart the rocker arms and reuse the bearings in the new rockers...........right? Anybody else done this yet? do I need a press?

Howard - Nice job on the jig! If I had any welding skills that little device would have saved me some $$ buying the drill jig I used.

I tried removing the bearings from the steel rocker arms with a press and had no luck. Give it a shot - I ended up asking Fran to send replacements which he did promptly.

Dave L

 

[Howard Jones]

Fran, I need bearings.

Oh and anybody needs to use my jig PM me. U ship, use free, ship back.

 

[Craig Gillingham]

Craig, can you post some pictures of your "rear suspension strenghtening brackets". I'm not sure if what I already have on my chassis is what you are taking about. Thanks.

i will be uploading a comprehensive photo album asap and will send you the link
regards

 

[Howard Jones]

I thought that I should post some pictures with the motor back in the car. Now you can see how the water pump pulley clearance mod came out. I also did something that Fran suggested quite some time ago. I was waiting until I had the motor out of the car again to do it.

If you look back through the build log you will find the mid motor mounts that I made the first time. Fran dropped me a email and suggested that i tie in the lower chassis rail. This forms a triangulation of the chassis corner that was not part of the original mounts I made.

Here's some pictures.